


Fifteen

by ze_z_zi



Series: Trainer Ze [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Self-Indulgent, i can't lie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:53:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23507935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ze_z_zi/pseuds/ze_z_zi
Summary: Some part of him wonders if the rumors are just someone’s fucked up idea of a joke. She’s only fifteen, she can’t possibly know what her reputation is.
Relationships: Kibana | Raihan/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Trainer Ze [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582903
Kudos: 19





	Fifteen

**Author's Note:**

> CW: mentions of sexual assualt. no graphic descriptions.
> 
> Recently my OC, Ze, has developed actual canon and I had to write it. Self isolating really gives you a lot of free time, huh?

This can’t be Ze, but it is.

She’s nervous and as much as she’s trying to hide it, she’s starstruck to be meeting him. It’s not a new thing for Raihan, but somehow, it’s not as fulfilling this time. Some part of him wonders if the rumors are just someone’s fucked up idea of a joke. She’s only fifteen, she can’t possibly know what her reputation is. Or does she? 

It becomes apparent in the way she tries to hide her small limp, a deep bruise he sees through her nylons that’s suspiciously hand shaped, and the way she flinches at a passerby winking at her that she wanted no part in her reputation. So he gets her in the vault, shows her their treasure and tells her; “I’ve heard about your reputation, Ze,”

Her response is immediate and he’s quick to realize that wasn’t the best way to phrase it.

The shine in her eyes dies and her whole body seems to sag, all her previous excitement and energy gone. Her curled up hand comes up to her mouth while the other grips the hem of her skirt. It’s as if she’s waiting for his word, a signal to pull it up.

“Are people forcing you to do this? I understand if you’re using the time away from home to be advent—” He’s stopped by a choked sob. He hesitates, but pulls the teen closer to his side, giving her enough space to stay away from him she’d like. She’s shaking like a leaf, her head lowered, hands covering her mouth now.

“I’m too scared to tell them ‘no’. I—” She chokes on her sobs once more, and Raihan sets to rubbing her back, trying to calm the challenger down.

“Hey, you don’t have to explain anything to me. I just want to make sure you’re safe,” 

_And you’re not_ , he thinks.

It takes a minute or two before Ze wipes her eyes with the cuffs of her denim jacket and starts apologizing to Raihan for making such a scene and telling him he doesn’t have to worry about her. Even though based on the stories he’s heard, he does.

“Ze, even if what’s been happening is consensual, you’re fifteen, that’s statutory,”

“I, I just want to finish my challenge, Raihan,” She’s quiet now, closing herself off, putting her hands in her pockets and looking away. Fuck, how does he fix this?

“Ok, I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to,” He pulls away from her and gets one of his league cards from his pocket and hands it to her.

He carries them around like his fellow gym leaders, but he doesn’t give them to just anyone. It makes his normal cards rare and his rare ones legendary to his fans. He knew Ze was one of his, the way she lit up when he called her over, remembering her face from her battles. He smiles at how she hurries to take the card, only hesitating when she realizes the kind of card it is.

“Are you sure? This, this is one of your rare cards, isn’t Leon the only person with one of these?”

He chuckles and thinks to bring up how much of a fan she must be to know that, but doesn’t. “Aside from my parents, yeah, but it seems like you’d like it,” He wills himself to stop smiling at her, forcing his face to turn serious. “Ze, I want you to know that you can trust me. I want to help you,

“Let me give you my number,”

She’s silent as she digs through her pocket and pulls out her RotomPhone, unlocking it and handing it over to him to punch in his number. It might not be the time, but he decides to be cheeky with her, hoping it’ll make her a little happier. So he just types in “Rai🐉💖”. 

She seems surprised when she sees it, her eyes widening and lips parting slightly. She thanks him as she tucks her phone and his league card into her jacket's inner pocket. It’s quiet between the two of them and Raihan escorts her out of The Vault and back out to the street. Her goodbye is quick and she’s rushing away from him and he wonders if he overstepped her boundaries, if she’ll bother with contacting him when she actually needs help.

* * *

He’s not left wondering for long. 

It’s nighttime when she first calls. He’s brushing his teeth and his Rotom alerts him that an unknown number is calling him. He picks up quickly and sure enough, it’s Ze.

“I’m so sorry, it’s late, I hope I didn’t wake you up or anything,” She’s whispering and she sounds terrified, he asks what’s wrong. 

“I’m out in the Wild Area right now, but, I don’t know. It feels weird, different, like someone’s watching me right now.

“I think someone broke into my tent last night.”

Her words hit him hard and he’s quick to ask where she is, telling her he’ll be there as soon as possible. She says she’s set up camp under the stone formation in the Stony Wilderness. Not too far from Hammerlocke. She begs him to stay on the phone with her.

“Don’t worry, Ze, I’ll stay as long as you need me,” He only bothers with putting on his shoes and his hoodie before he’s rushing out of his house, calling out Flygon and wasting no time taking off towards the Wild Area. He speaks up against the wind as he asks why she thinks someone broke into her tent.

“When I woke up, my shirt,” She’s quiet, hesitating on her next word.

“I’m not going to judge you, Ze. I just want to help,”

“My shirt was buttoned wrong and I felt...dirty? Like when you wipe your hands, but they’re still sticky? That’s what my chest felt like and,” She chokes on her words suddenly and he realizes that she’s crying as quietly as she can. “My mouth tasted disgusting,” 

She doesn’t have to tell him what it was. He doesn’t know what to say to her, he’s just mad. Mad this kind of shit happened to her, mad it happens at all. Mad that Ze didn’t feel safe enough to tell an official that this is happening in the Wild Area and out on the routes. He tells her not to worry, that he’s close.

He signals for Flygon to land once they hit the Stony Wilderness, pointing to the stone bridge. Sure enough, there’s a pastel pink tent set up. Flygon’s head tilts, looking in the distance and Raihan notices a figure rushing away from one of the other stone formations in the area. He thinks to set Flygon on the son of a bitch, but that train of thought is broken as Ze rushes out of her tent.

She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her sleep shirt and he can’t help but think that she looks cute in her Love Ball patterned pajamas. They’re a far cry from her usual all black and spiked attire.

He reaches out to her and she falls into his arms apologizing over and over again, how she was probably just overreacting, how unlikely it was for someone to be watching her, that she shouldn’t have called him out here. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that there had in fact been someone. He’s slow to respond to her, unbelieving of what’s happening. Luckily, Flygon picks up his slack.

The dragon pushes his snout towards Ze, trilling softly and licks her face. Raihan is about to scold him, that he knows better than to do that without someone’s permission until Ze gives out a warbled laugh and reaches out to pet him. This would’ve been nice if the reason she had called him out here hadn’t been so dark. He asks if she needs help packing up her camping supplies and she looks confused.

“It’s not safe for you to stay out here alone, Ze. Not tonight at least,” She rushes to defend herself, but he’s quicker. “What you told me on the phone was terrifying, Ze. I want you to stay safe and right now, sleeping out here isn’t the safest idea or option,”

She nods and sets to packing up her tent. It’s quick and practiced and she’s done in no time at all. He picks up her bag and adjusts it to his body as she insists he doesn’t have to, but he laughs and says there won’t be room for her if she’s carrying the bag.

“Do you want me to drop you off at a hotel or…?” He trails off and wonders if offering his home to a fifteen year old is fucked up or not. Yeah, no, it’s wildly inappropriate for him to do that.

“A hotel is fine, whichever is cheapest in Hammerlocke,” She looks away embarrassed and he can’t help but laugh and ruffle her hair. He asks if she’s already burnt through her money on clothes, a mistake he made when he was on his challenge. 

She pouts and nods, “I couldn’t help myself in Hammerlocke and Motostoke’s boutiques,”

A particularly cold breeze has Flygon chirping at the two of them harshly, both of his types vulnerable to the climate. They hurry to mount, Raihan shushing Ze’s concerns about being too heavy by reminding her of Flygon’s ability Levitate. Flygon trills back at her, high and whistling, and Raihan laughs.

“See, even he’s letting you know that you don’t weigh anything to him. So, just relax and enjoy the flight,”

She settles against him and lets him wrap his arms around her soft middle, his arms pressing into her fat as he holds her close and securely. He bites back a joke about not wanting her to fall. When Flygon lifts off the ground it’s slow, it’s how he always goes for beginners, used to younger kids wanting rides from the League’s hospital visits. Ze freezes up and Raihan speaks up against the wind, reminding her that he’s here and he won’t let anything happen to her. It’s the right thing to say as she takes a deep breath and relaxes against him once more. 

The ride is short, but Ze is smiling as she looks down at the soft lights shining down in Hammerlocke.

“Are you having fun?” He’s nowhere near the volume he was at when he was on the phone, the wind not being so rough at Flygon’s beginner pace.

She nods excitedly and he’s overcome by a flood of pride that he managed to make her genuinely happy once again. Even during their meeting, before he asked about her reputation, she hadn’t seemed so carefree. 

It’s over too soon and Ze seems hesitant to hop off of Flygon. He holds back from asking if she wants to go on another ride. She might not be able to feel it, but he knows she must be exhausted and he doesn’t want her being off the ground when it hits. It’s not long before she realizes where they are and she’s in shock.

“Raihan, this isn’t where—”  
“I know, I know, but I’d sleep easier knowing you're set up _here_ , rather than one of the cheaper places. 

“Hammerlocke is a nice, tourist-friendly city, but too many creeps wander around _those_ hotels,”

She looks around like a lost puppy before Flygon chirps and nudges her forward a bit with his head. She looks up to him, then to the ground before nodding, realizing this isn’t a battle she can win. “Okay, Raihan,”

He calls back Flygon before walking her into the hotel, the establishment being classy enough that they were always confidential with gym leaders’ business. Also this could easily be read as him helping out a challenger in need, right? That’s what he’s doing.

Raihan’s a fixture of Hammerlocke, stick around long enough and you’ll see him eventually. No matter his attire he fits in, another piece of the puzzle, another piece of Galar. Ze, however, sticks out like a sore thumb in the hotel’s lobby. Her bed head and cutesy pajamas make for an interesting combination with the dark glossy floors and fresh cut flowers of the hotel. He can’t help but think how adorable it is having her trail behind him to the service counter, loosely gripping the sleeve of his hoodie. Nevertheless, the concierge greets them warmly.

Ze pales when she hears the price for the room and can barely choke out a response when Raihan asks if she needs more than one night. She tries to fight back when Raihan tells the concierge that he’ll be paying for three nights for her room. The whole walk up Ze is promising to pay Raihan back and he thinks up a way to get her to drop it.

“The best way you can pay me back is to keep doing this for me, Ze. Keep calling when you’re in trouble, no matter how silly it may seem, alright?”

Her eyes are wet with tears as she nods and promises that she’ll call when she needs to. He wishes her a good night and her to him before they part ways for the time being. Some part of Raihan wishes he told her she was free to talk to him whenever she wanted, but again, it doesn’t seem appropriate.

* * *

It’s about a day before Ze texts him. He’s at the gym, training this year's Champion Cup team with his gym trainers. They’re feeling the heat as the fastest challenger has already made it to Ballonlea, and is still heading up to Circhester. Should they have started training this year's teams earlier? Maybe. However, Raihan can’t deny the way the pressure makes him work even harder along with his gym trainers. He calls for a break as he pulls his Rotom from the air to answer Ze.

It’s not an emergency, she says. A video of a Trapinch evolving into a Vibrava follows the initial text and he can’t help the smile that spreads across his face.

_Honey evolved!_

_I thought that maybe you'd want to see since you like dragons so much_

_Sorry I shouldn't be texting you for silly stuff like this_

He’s quick to text her back.

**_No Ze it’s fine! I’m glad you’re taking their training so seriously. You’re getting even closer to facing the Great Raihan >:)_ **

She doesn’t respond for a while and he worries that he scared her off. It's a couple of hours until she responds and he’s quick to check his phone.

_Sorry that I didn’t respond for so long_

_I got scared tbh_

_But I shouldnt do that not after you’ve been so nice to me_

**_Don’t worry about it Ze. I understand youre a little nervous_ **

_thank you :)))_

He smiles back at his phone as his chest seems to tighten just a bit. A telltale rush of excitement for being able to make Ze calm down again, making her comfortable with him. She tells him that she’s training in the Wild Area, trying to train her team a bit before facing Opal. She laments that after Ballonlea’s Gym she’ll most likely be taking her Corviknight off her team.

_it just feels a little mean doing that_

**_Being a trainer means making tough decisions Ze._ **

**_Especially if you’re tryna make it big_ **

She tells him she’ll do her best, that she’ll most likely put Vibrava on as a permanent member of her team after facing Opal. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to face off against one of his signatures on the pitch. Especially one trained by someone that hasn’t lost an official match yet. He wishes her the best.

* * *

The next call is more pleasant. It’s during a rare moment with Leon and the champion gets nosy the moment Rotom hovers closer, showing his trainer that Ze is calling. She asks if Raihan has the time to pick her up from somewhere. Again, she begins to apologize for bothering him and he lets her get them out of the way before he reminds her she doesn’t have to apologize.

“I told you to call when you need me, yeah?”

“...Yeah,”

“And you need me right now, don’t you?”

“Yeah,”  
“So, don’t worry about it, Ze. Now where are you?”  
She tells him she’s at a Daycare, the one on route 5, that she really just needs an escort. He doesn’t want to imagine what could have possibly happened that made her need one and he doesn’t ask over the phone. He knows exactly which one she’s talking about and tells her he’s on his way. He pockets his phone and turns to Leon.

“Wanna come along?”  
“It’s a little rude making plans with someone right here, don’t you think, Rai?”

He laughs and gives Leon a shove. “Quit taking the piss, you coming or not?”

At the Daycare, they’re greeted by the owner and Raihan has to hold back from actually showing his surprise at the sight of a woman as tall as him. She’s distant to say the least as she continues her greeting, asking them what pokemon they will be leaving with her.

“No, I’m not leaving any pokemon here today. I’m here to pick up a friend, Ze?” He gives his usual smile, but she does not react as she turns back to call for Ze. She turns back to them and Raihan swore the woman, Xiaodan according to her name tag, turns the faintest shade of pink as she looked at Leon.

It wasn’t long before Ze stepped into the lobby of the Daycare through a door leading to the house attached to the business. She looks away sheepishly from him as she leaves from behind the counter and to Raihan’s side. He slings his arm over her shoulders and pulls her into a hug. It takes a few seconds but she hugs him back eventually. His chest tightens once more as she greets him, relaxed enough to sound excited. 

She turns back to Xiaodan and thanks her for letting her stay there for a _week_. Oh, he was definitely asking what happened. He looks down at her with a face that he hoped expressed that sentiment to her. He looks back to Xiaodan, and it almost seems as if the stoic woman’s facade cracked the tiniest bit as she reassured Ze that she didn’t have to thank her for whatever she had done. He held back a chuckle as he realized Ze has the same effect on most people.

Ze said her final goodbye as the trio left the Daycare as they made their way back to the Wild Area, opting for the scenic route seeing as Ze had been collected and confirmed to be safe. Raihan would have _loved_ to ask just what she had been doing, staying at a Daycare for a whole week, but Leon didn’t give him a chance to ask any of his own questions as he interrogated a starstruck Ze about her, uh, friend back on Route 5. Tired of Leon’s champion motormouth, Raihan asks him if Leon could do him a favor.

“I had meant to drop Torkoal off at the Nursery, but it completely slipped my mind, funny how that happened. Mate, could you go run him down there for me?”

He didn’t have to ask Leon twice as he accepted the pokeball and ran back to the Daycare. Raihan clicked his teeth as he and Ze watched him go.

“Damn, he better not get lost with my Torkoal,”

“He’s not that bad, is he?”

With the way her brows shot up, he knew his expression got his point across.

They turned back and Ze asked why they hadn’t called a cab yet.

“What? Don’t want to spend time with the Great Raihan?”

She flusters and looks away, a curled hand coming up to cover her mouth. _Cute…_

“No, we can walk through the Wild Area, I just,” She stopped walking as she closed her eyes, thinking. It was a look he’d grown familiar with, sometimes during her battles she’d do the same. “I honestly just don’t want to walk all the way down to Motostoke to take the long way around when we could just get dropped in Bridge Field,”

He couldn’t exactly argue with her logic, not to mention the walk from Bridge Field to Hammerlocke was still a sizable walk, but not as foot numbing as their original plan had been. 

“Fair warning, I, uhh, I’m not the biggest fan of cab rides,”

“You were enjoying fl—Wait, your Vibrava evolved yet?”

Her eyes lit up and she nodded, rocking back and forth on her platform boots. _Too cute..._ “Yeah! We’ve only gone flying once or twice, but it would be good practice!”

She rushes to pull one of her pokeballs from her belt. He notices it’s the only Ultra Ball in the line up. He pulls his own Ultra Ball and they manage to release their Flygons at the same time. Raihan’s Flygon leans forward in a greeting, a soft trill echoing around them, but Honey flies forward, trying to block Raihan from Ze. A Mummy’s boy, apparently. Ze laughs and coos to him, reaching up to pet him between his antenni. 

“Don’t worry, Ha—Honey, Raihan’s nice and so are his pokemon, okay?” He settles down, and trills curtly at his Flygon. “We can trust them,”

His chest tightens once more at how soft her face turns as she speaks. Dedicated and doting and he imagines her meeting the rest of his team. She seems like the kind of person that would call a Kommo-o cute and he knows his team doesn’t get that kind of treatment outside of him and his trainers. He pushes those thoughts out of his mind and asks if she’s ready to lose her first race. Once again he makes her act different, this time competitive. 

“In your dreams, Rai,”

Despite her inexperience, the race is intense, the hot air electrified between them as they shout back and forth and call commands to their personal Desert Spirits. The singing of their Flygons’ wings only add to the experience for him. The singing, the wind whipping across his face, their shouts and the beating of his heart make for an experience just toeing the line of overwhelming, make for something magical. The magic ends when he wins, landing at Hammerlocke Hills with Ze just seconds behind him and he wishes once more that the ride was longer.

In the city, she tells him she’s heading off to face Piers, not that he needs to be told.

“I’ll head straight for your gym once I’m done in Spikemuth,” In that moment, she’s something he’s only seen from her on the pitch. Confident. He decides he likes it on her, he wants to see her like that always.

“I’ll be waiting,” He was so caught up in the thrill of the race, so determined to make the most of their time together that he forgot to ask why she had been staying at the Daycare.

* * *

Once again, he’s not waiting for long. The next time she calls, he missed the first two in a quick meeting, giving a report to Rose about his gym challenge. No one has made it to him yet and he began to worry about Ze, if she was still in the challenge. According to the official league site, she’s still a challenger, but she hasn’t beaten Piers yet. He’s scared that the call is going to be her saying that she’s giving up, that Piers was her roadblock. He wishes that was the call.

She’s crying as he picks up and it’s terrible how familiar it sounds, but horrifying how different it is from the last two times she has cried in front of him. It’s loud and broken, she keeps choking as she tells him where she is. Route 9, that her tent is up, she’s alone now. Alone _now_. Who was with her before?

The ride is not fast enough and he apologizes to Flygon once the air turns cold and snowflakes begin to fall. This isn’t ideal weather for the pokemon, but he seems to understand his trainer’s desperation as he speeds through Route 9, both sets of eyes peeled for a tent. Raihan whistles, sharp and commanding as he points down to Ze’s tent. It’s still pastel pink for that Cloyster of hers.

Raihan hurries to dismount Flygon and get him back in his pokeball before rushing to the tent, calling out to Ze, letting her know he’s here. She doesn’t respond and he tells her he’s opening her tent before he does. 

She’s passed out and naked, Raihan can already see the bruises forming on her arms, her hips and on her chest. He reaches out to touch her, to shake her awake, but he realizes she probably doesn’t want him seeing her like this. Or, at least _knowing_ he saw her like this. He searches around for her clothes or a blanket, something. He finds a blanket in her bag and puts it over her, sighing in relief as she nestles into it, curling into herself more. He shakes her awake then, placing his hand on her face as she begins to stir. He winces as he notices how the tears she hadn’t wiped away managed to freeze in the cold against her skin.

“Raihan?” Her voice is rough and barely above a whisper as she says his name. “You’re here,” _I could have been here sooner._

“Come on, Ze, you have to get dressed. Do you feel warm?”

She shakes her head.

“Ok, good. Can you stand?”

She shakes her head again. “That’s why I called you,” She looks away from him, coherent enough to be ashamed. “I know you said to call you _anytime_ but, I, I,” 

A fresh wave of tears hit her as she stutters. She gives up on the sentence and breaks down in front of him. He doesn’t know what to do other than tuck the blanket under her tighter, before wrapping his arms around her. He’s careful not to put too much of his weight on her as she pulls him closer as her silent crying turns to loud sobbing. She does her best to control her breathing enough to speak once again.

“I didn’t call the other times, but this time. I couldn’t take it, they,”

“Hey, shh, let’s get you dressed and to a Pokecenter. You don’t have to tell me, I’ll never make you do that, Ze,”

She can’t get dressed on her own, which means Raihan _has_ to see her naked. Neither of them are happy about it. Ze is no longer sobbing, but she is steadily crying silently above him as he dresses her in her warmest clothing. It kills him a little more each time Ze winces and groans at too much movement in her legs because it makes her hips shift against the thin mattress roll under her.

He stopped Ze from telling him what happened, but he’s quick to understand how exactly they raped her. He helps her to her feet and she calls out her Cinderace to aid her in standing up while Raihan packs up the tent. 

The worst part of it all is how someone swims up to them, while Raihan is behind her tent pulling up a stake and solicits Ze. The swimmer asks if she’s the challenger everyone’s talking about. She chokes back a sob and tries to tell him to leave her alone, but Raihan’s quicker in telling him to fuck off and that Ze’s fifteen. He asks the now terrified man if that means anything to him.

“N-No one mentioned that,” The man looks back at Ze and Raihan wants to kill him for still being here. “I-I’m sorry,”

He swims away as Ze starts crying once more. Her Cinderace, chitters up at his trainer as she scrubs at her eyes, desperately wiping away her tears. He can hear Ze trying to settle down the rabbit pokemon, telling him that “mommy’s just tired” and “don’t worry about me”. It doesn’t work as he hears Ze sigh and Cinderace’s soft noises continue. Soon enough with the little bit of help Ze can manage to give, her tent is packed up and her pokeballs are around her waist. It’s not long before they’re fighting.

“You’re in no shape to face Piers right now. You can barely stand on your own,” He’s doing his best not to yell at her, it’s the last thing either of them need right now, but she’s holding her ground against him.

“What am I supposed to do, Raihan? I have to qualify for the Champion Cup and the quicker I do that the sooner I can try to rest up,” She’s quiet too, but there’s an edge to her voice born of exhaustion and frustration.

He laughs bitterly, shaking his head and she asks him what’s so fucking funny. He sneers at her, leaning forward to loom over her.

“Why don’t you act like this normally, huh? Why don’t you stand up for yourself any other time, but when I’m trying to help you,” Raihan stops himself before he goes too far. He straightens back up and takes a deep breath. She’s still holding her Cinderace, but she’s already standing straighter, steadier on her own feet. Her face softens and he’s worried she’ll start crying again from how wet her eyes seem to be once more.

She looks down and he bites back a curse. He never wanted to be one of the reasons Ze cried. He hears her mumble something and he hesitates before asking her what she said.

“I know you won’t hurt me,”

* * *

Piers doesn’t ask too many questions about Raihan tagging along with Ze. It’s something Raihan always appreciated about him, he knew when to mind his business, something that Raihan can admit was never his strong suit. He accepted when Ze just shook her head when he asked about Raihan’s presence. Raihan went and stood behind the steel fencing with the other Team Yell members and watched Ze take on their leader. 

He clenches the fence each time Ze stumbles, or winces in pain, but she pulls out a victory with a wide margin. Piers hadn’t been able to knock out any of her pokemon while she seemed to have the battle always in her favor. Bold enough to use pokemon with no type advantage against him, remembered his Obstagoon’s signature move and abused what special type moves Alcremie knew. Despite her dominance on the pitch, they still managed to make the match an exciting one. 

Field cleared and his pokemon downed, Ze limped her way across the pitch to accept her Dark badge and shake Piers’s hand. Once more, he asked a question to which Ze shook her head and he shrugged. 

Odd, how stubborn she was. Would she have been the same if Raihan wasn’t watching the match? Would she have folded under the slight pressure of Piers’ disinterested words, but worried eyes? She presses the badge into the gold ring and smiles over at him and flashed the near completed circle at him.

She limps to him, but he closes the distance fast and he tells her the plan. 

“No hotels, no arguing. You’re coming to my place and you’re staying the night and however long it’ll take for you to get healed up,”

He expects a fight from her, at least a minor resistance, but she just sighs and reaches out to grip his hoodie sleeve and agrees to his terms.

They get a Corviknight Taxi once they’re out of Spikemuth and he gets to learn what she meant when she told him that she doesn’t like cab rides. 

The whole ride she’s tucked under his arm, pressed into his side with her eyes squeezed shut. Ze shakes like a Yamper during a storm against him. The only thing he can think to do is rub her back and tell her that they’re almost there. She keeps away from the windows, only relaxing once they land near his home. He leads her down winding alley after alley until they’re walking through his back garden and he’s unlocking his back door to let her in.

He turns to close and lock the door and turns back to Ze standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do with herself in his laundry room. He chuckles and tells her to make herself at home and she does by unlacing and toeing off her big platform boots. He squats down to tug them off her, telling Ze to brace her hands on his shoulders. She flusters, but complies and soon enough her platforms join his sneakers beside the door. 

He walks her into the kitchen where his pokemon rush to greet them, most likely confused and hungry. They’re usually fed by now, but it completely escaped his mind to ask one of his trainers to swing by to feed his little pack. He apologizes to them, attempting to settle them down and keep them off of Ze, not sure if she can handle his team crowding her right now.

He’s quick to tell her to settle in the living room, asking if she’s hungry, that he can order take away as he gets his team’s bowls set up. She’s quiet and he figures he’ll have to lead this conversation.

“I’m sure it’s been a while since you last ate and you must be getting sick of curry by now. Why don’t we order a pizza?”

She nods before sitting down on one of the couches. He pretends he doesn’t see her wince and reposition herself. 

The night is restless between them, with him trying to care for Ze and her being stubborn in a way he never anticipated. She doesn’t eat much and Raihan does not push her when she says she doesn’t feel good. He doesn’t feel too well himself, so he can’t imagine what she must feel like. 

He catches her drifting off once, then twice and when she does it a third time he stretches and expresses how tired _he_ is. She can’t deny her own sleepiness at that point and settles deeper into the couch before he stops her.

“I have a guest room, Ze.” He says with a laugh. She seems embarrassed for a moment before she pushes herself off his couch to follow him upstairs. 

“Thank you,” She says as she sits on the edge of the mattress. She gives him a weak smile before she looks down at her sock covered feet. “For everything today. I know I’m not the easiest to deal with,”

 _A little_ , he thinks as he waves his hand and tells her not to worry so much. She has every right to be stubborn. The way she looks at him tells him she doesn’t agree, but he doesn’t push it. Not tonight.

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to wake me, alright? My room is just down the hall, last door,” She nods. He pretends she’ll make good on that as he wishes her a good night.

He closes the door behind him and heads to his room and hesitates with closing his own door. He wonders if he should close it tonight because he has a guest or leave it open like usual. Hopefully, if he leaves it open she’ll be encouraged to come wake him if she needs him. Goodra makes a soft questioning noise, nudging her trainer and making him chuckle at her antics.

“You’re right, what’s the harm?” He leaves it open slightly and heads to bed himself. 

* * *

“Please let me through, I don’t want to bother Raihan more than I already have,” Is what Raihan hears as Goodra wakes him, her cold, slick snout pressing to his cheek.

He shakes his head as he processes her words. Ze’s up and already trying to leave. She doesn’t hear him as he walks to his door to watch her try and fail to convince his Duraludon and Sandaconda to let her through. She only realizes he’s watching her when Sandaconda makes a happy hiss and slithers his way to his trainer’s feet. She has the sense to look embarrassed at being caught.

“I—”

“You didn’t want to bother me?”

She grips her skirt tight and nods, cheeks puffed and eyes wet already. He never would’ve imagined such a strong trainer to be such a crybaby. In some way, it’s endearing. Raihan sighs and shakes his head.

“Ze, I wouldn’t be doing all of this if I didn’t _want_ to help you,” In two strides he’s closed the distance between them and Ze steps back, gasping and apologizing when she bumps into Duraludon. The dragon makes a little noise at her and leans forward, pressing against her. Raihan laughs at the sight.

“Looks like Duraludon just didn’t want you leaving before you could give him some love,”

Ze seems shocked, but reaches up to pat the dragon’s head nonetheless. Duraludon lets out a pleased noise, and hisses out a small amount of steam, his way of blushing.

“He’s usually not this fond of strangers,”

Ze hums. “People tell me that all the time with their pokemon,”

“Do they now? Well, they say if pokemon like you, you’ll be a great trainer,”

Another hum.

“Well, since we’re both up how about breakfast?”

Breakfast is uneventful between the two of them, but their teams seem to have fun mingling with one another. It’s funny watching his high leveled, battle trained team flinch from a tiny Alcremie as she slowly attempts to make her way to them. The only dragon of his bold enough to brave Alcremie’s company is Goodra and the two of them make quick friends, sharing their food easily. 

Ze doesn’t expect her Tsareena to leave Cinderace’s side, merely tolerating Raihan’s team as per her trainer’s wishes. However, she moves her bowl beside his Sandaconda and Gigalith, settling with the two of them leaving her mate to eat with Raihan’s Flygon and Torkoal. The rest seemed to just settle with whoever or on their own. It was nice, domestic almost as Raihan and Ze tuck into their simple breakfasts. Omelettes and a fruit salad Raihan remembered picking up because he wanted it at the time, but never got around to opening with recent events.

“Are you feeling any better? I see you’re not limping anymore,”

Another nod. “Yeah, I, I heal pretty fast,”

Like that an awkward silence fell between the two of them. Raihan didn’t know where to go from here. Did he ask about her finishing up the challenge with facing him, does he pretend yesterday didn’t happen or does he ask about it? About what happened out on Route 9. He _wants_ to know, but he can’t ask. Why make her relive that?

“Think you’re up for facing the Great Raihan, then?”

She perked up at that, a giggle muffled by her hand. “When do you have to be at the gym, it’s still pretty early. I, uhhh, I wanted to get out of here before you got up and I figured that must be pretty early,”

He pulled out his phone, 6:48. If Goodra hadn’t woken him when Ze tried to leave, he would’ve gotten up soon anyways. He shrugs and tells her he’s usually there by 8AM. Challengers didn’t start pouring in until 11 typically since matches had to be broadcasted, but Ze knew that.

“Not that there’s ever that many to face to begin with,” He gets up and takes their dishes over to the sink, deciding to just leave them to wash later. “Everyone else does a good job of trimming the fat before they face me,”

He gives her his trademark smirk, fierce and intimidating, but Ze seems to have realized something about his words as she shoots up and twists to look at him. Her eyes are bright and brimming with surprise, like she didn’t know her own ability. She’s one of the two challengers with an unbroken streak, undefeated on the pitch. 

_A champion in the making_ , He thinks. _Another season or two under her belt and she just might beat Leon_.

“How many people are left then?”

He pulls out his phone once more to check the remaining challengers. He chuckles before telling her she’s still standing with 7 other people. 

Her mouth slips open and her eyes fall to the floor and she turns back to face the table, sinking deeper into her chair. 

“Wow…” He hears her whisper.

“Don’t know what to do when you’re faced with your own greatness?” He laughs and makes his way back to the table, taking the seat across from her once again. “Don’t worry, everyone’s like that the first time,”

She looks at him and she smiles. It’s not as bright as previous ones, but it’s something deeper. “Can I be your first match today?”

“Don’t want to keep your streak going for a bit longer?”

“No offense, Raihan, but I’m facing Leon this year,” Her smile shifts and now she’s got a smirk to match his.

“Oh really? You don’t seem like the type to aim to be Champion, Ze,”

“What makes you say that? I’m almost there, aren’t I, Raihan?”

He leans back thinking what it was that made him say that. When she’s on the pitch, she’s plenty Champion-like. Headstrong, stubborn and unwavering in her strength and love for her pokemon. Off pitch seemed to be a completely different story, however.

 _Something’s gotta give eventually. One of those Ze’s is the real one_ , he thinks.

“With the way you hold yourself off the pitch, who’s to say?” He almost stops when he sees how her face falls, the excitement in her eyes disappears and she looks down at her hands, folded on the table. 

“Leon’s not just a good champion because he’s a strong trainer, Ze. He’s confident, charismatic, you do well in your interviews, but,” Fuck, maybe this went too far, better to jus—

“But, what, Raihan?” She’s looking at him again, leaning forward hanging on his every word. “I know I have a lot to overcome, but I want to try at least,” He sighs before he continues.

“I was going to say, you can only be reported on for what happens on the pitch for so long. Leon inspires people, but can you do the same?”

* * *

Raihan can already hear the cheers of the audience echoing through the stadium and into his locker room. Wondered if Ze was focusing on the same or if she knew some way to block them out, to ignore a crowd calling for someone’s defeat. 

He picked up over time, over her challenge that Ze seemed to gain some dedicated fans. Most of them are teenagers and young adults not always able to make it to her matches, but they are always able to cheer on social media for her. After Ze made her announcement on her Pidgetter about her upcoming match up against Raihan her fans managed to get a hashtag trending in only an hour or so. _#241VS69_. 

He’s used to people wanting him to lose, but her fans seemed to be in a league of their own. Cheering her on, trying to give her strategies from their old challenges, and plenty of glittering hearts in the replies to her original tweet. He doesn’t know when that emoji became a signature for her online, but it’s cute in stark contrast with her public appearance. He chuckles, thinking of Ze in her big boots and battle vests for a moment before Sebastian comes in, telling him it’s time to get ready for the walk out.

Across the field, in the opposing tunnel, he can’t see much. Ze is a splash of white against a dark backdrop. They start walking.

He’s thrown by how different she is out here in front of thousands. It’s one thing witnessing her on screen, back straight and confident, but it’s a different feeling, staring down at her. Her face doesn’t break when he winks to her, she just nods back stiffly and for a moment he’s reminded of Kabu. 

Usually it was the bold ones that turned shy, especially once they faced down Raihan. Partly because of his height and partly because they always realized: this is it. 

If they lost this battle, they’d have to figure out how to beat him _fast_. Even now, with Ze being his first battle with only one more anticipated for today, she would only have a week and a half to get her qualification for the Champion Cup if she lost now. He smiles down at her and she smiles back, the way her eyes seemed to steel and turn cold told him she’s realized.

“Finally, a challenger made it! I’ve been waiting for someone to battle, but I’ve got to admit...I didn’t think it’d be you. I was expecting one of the kids Leon endorsed to reach me first, Ze,”

For a moment it looks as if she’s about to pout before she remembers where they are and she’s back to herself. He continues on with his pre match banter, if it can be called that considering Ze isn’t responding to any of it.

“But I guess I should expect no less from a challenger with a winning streak like you. Even so, you aim to defeat Leon... Do you have any idea just how high a hurdle that is? As his greatest rival, I guess that I—Raihan—will have to show you!

"Gym Leader Raihan doesn’t simply control the weather. He also seeks two-on-two battles! You must be prepared for any situation against a foe like him!"

Ze nodded and they turned to take their positions on the pitch. It’s cute how she tosses out her pokemon, unused to a double battle. It’s clumsy and she visibly stumbles on her throw as Raihan is clean and quick. Graceful in his movements where she’s still green.

"Let the winds blow! Stream forward, Sandstorm!"

The battle is short. 

She knows his leads, Gigalith and Sandaconda, and she knows his strategy as she focuses a Trop Kick on his Sandaconda, not willing to miss a Power Whip in such a high stakes battle. Every turn is going to count for her, especially if she wants to minimize the damage sandstorm will rack up against her. Her Cloyster is up alongside her grass-type and Ze seems frustrated that she can’t take advantage of Skill Link yet as she opts for a Dive against Gigalith. 

“Tch,” Raihan sucks his teeth as Earth Power misses as Cloyster sinks into the water it summons, but he’s quick to order Stealth Rock from Gigalith before he can be taken out. 

Cloyster didn’t have that move in it’s last match. He almost calls out to her, wanting to tell her it’s flattering how she prepared for their battle, but she won’t respond. Ze is silent in matches beyond her powerful commands.

Tsareena goes first once she’s recovered from flinching against the rough storm and Ze calls out for her to use Magical Leaf. 

_Another new move_ , he thinks.

By watching reruns of her matches, Raihan knows Ze focuses on stats. She gives her team moves that fit her their strengths and could cover their weaknesses. Her Tsareena is _usually_ a physical attacker, but she’s strong enough specially to take down Sandaconda and to leave a dent in his Gigalith’s health if it’s cry was anything to go by.

Raihan calls Sandaconda back, bringing out Flygon who trills loudly, his wings’ singing picking up soon after. It’s not long before he’s calling back Gigalith as Ze’s Cloyster knocks him out with Dive.

He sends out Duraludon as Ze calls back Tsareena, telling her that her work is done. He’s sure of her bringing out that Alcremie of hers, but it’s her Obstagoon. He chuckles, head ducked to avoid the sand.

“Don’t want to risk putting your cute little Alcremie against Duraludon, huh?” He shouts wanting to make sure she hears his taunting over the crowd, the sand and the singing.

She flinches against the sandstorm herself as she raises up her hand.

“Lemon Pepper, Icicle Spear against Flygon, _now_!” She’s as loud as him in the storm. Her voice stead and commanding. A shiver runs up his spine and his smirk turns to a wild smile, fangs bared to the young challenger.

Both of their bands gather Dynamax energy, but she’s quicker to call back Obstagoon, throwing him overhead back towards the stands. The stadium shakes with the dark type’s deep roar before it returns to its guarded stance, arms crossed over its chest. 

_"Bring the storm! My partner will send everyone in the stadium flying!"_

Raihan calls back Duraludon, quickly posing for a selfie before throwing his partner’s ball back to the crowd, turning back to Ze as Duraludon lands, shaking the studium and letting out a proud cry of his own.

Flygon’s the fastest on the field, zipping across the pitch slamming his tail against her Cloyster in a Breaking Swipe as the words leave his mouth. Cloyster brushes the move off as does Ze commands Icicle Spear one more time, a smile stretched across her face. The move hits five all five times, he knew it would with a Skill Link Cloyster. What Raihan didn’t expect was for three of the hits to flinch. _King’s rock, really, Ze?_ _Who knew you were a little aficionado?_

He misses what move she calls back to her Obstagoon, but it’s quickly revealed to be Max Knuckle. It’s super effective, sure, but Duraludon shakes it off quickly and Raihan orders back another Max Knuckle.

It’s the first time Ze’s appeared shocked in a battle before as she watches her Obstagoon stumble back, the Dynamax energy causing an explosion as Obstagoon shrinks back down to to his original size. She calls him back into his ball and stares at it for a moment. She didn’t know about Focus Blast. For the first time in the match Raihan hears the announcer as he narrates their battle.

_“And that’s Challenger Ze’s Obstagoon down to Duraludon’s Max Knuckle. It’s not seen often on the pitch, but it seems any battle with Ze always takes a special turn at some point!_

_“Now she has to try and win this match with no Dyna_ **_or_ ** _Gigantamax option! Can she do it?”_

He wonders if Ze’s heard them too as she switches out her ball and brings out Cinderace. The announcer picks up on the choice, questioning her decision as there’s still a ground type on the field, but Raihan knows and she knows: Flygon doesn’t _have_ fire type coverage. Alongside Gigalith and Sandaconda, no one ever thinks to bring out a fire type against him.

The sandstorm peters out and dies as Ze’ commands a Pyro Ball against Duraludon and another round of Icicle Spear from Cloyster. Flygon manages to dodge the first one, but the next two hit and then the dragon is down and Raihan is calling him back. All it takes is that one Pyro Ball and the match is over and Ze stands victorious. 

She calls back her pokemon, and waves to the audience as people called out to her, cheering for her. He remembers it’s a Saturday, more of Ze’s fans can be present. Before they meet back at the center of the field he hears a girl’s cry of “I knew you could do it!”.

"In the aftermath of the furious battle... I feel as pure and refreshed as when the sky clears after a storm,"

“Do you now?” 

They laugh before they shake hands and he presents her with her Dragon Badge. She’s excited enough to immediately pull out her Badge Ring and press the last one in. The cheering starts up again and Ze smiles and holds the completed collection to the crowd. 

Raihan hopes no notices how soft the look on his face must be as he looks at her.

* * *

He’s made sure to watch Ze’s Semi-Finals matches, he had been just as shocked as the announcers when Ze got Marnie down to her last pokemon and Ze forgot to dynamax her Toxtricity. It was the first time she ever messed up like that and in such a major way. 

It seemed like she kept forgetting too, seeing as her Toxtricity managed to outspeed Marnie’s Grimmsnarl and did some massive damage with Poison Jab and managed to tank the Max Starfall used against her. She didn’t dynamax the next turn and the announcers wondered if Ze was trying to make a statement out here on the world’s stage. Raihan knew for a fact that She wasn't considering her texts to him once she had won and hid out in the locker room. 

_aaaaa i didnt mean to do that!!!_

_i hope Marnie doesnt think bad of me for that im just dumb and nervous_

He laughed and responded quickly trying to catch her before she had to head back out to the pitch to face Gloria. The girl Leon endorsed.

Announcers leaned into it, the match up of the century they called it. Gloria, the girl from Postwick, endorsed by the undefeated Champion himself versus Ze, the punk from Motostoke, endorsed by Gym Leader Kabu. Both young and both with unbroken winning streaks in their first season. 

_“What a treat this battle will be for our audience and our viewers at home!”_

And what a treat it was. 

Ze stood once again, undefeated. It’s what they called her when she won, playing her up as the girl destined to beat Leon. Looking to set up breaking her down once she lost against him, surely. Raihan couldn’t lie, unlike announcers, he truly began to believe that this was the person meant to beat Leon. Ze would end an era and start her own. If not this season, then next or the season after that. One day, because what else do you do with skill and talent like that, if not become a legend like Leon himself?

The Champion Cup Finals are always a rush of quick interviews, the screams of an audience and battling for Raihan. Ze seemed to be in the same position with reporters hounding her every minute she was out of the locker room. 

Facing Milo was nice. Seeing the farmer in a context beyond his home pitch was always exciting, seeing what the Fighting Farmer could do with a competitive team always brought a chill up his spine. The battle was easy though, Milo has a serious problem with holding back. Raihan couldn’t understand wanting such a simple life like tending to a farm, but to each his own.

He expected to watch Ze face off against Nessa, but her initial match up was interrupted by their newest Gym Leader, Bede. It was quick, her Toxtricity leading the pack and Ze won with just her. Again, the question was asked if Ze’s trying to make a point, but Raihan can see her little tells. Hands twitching and her cracking her knuckles against her thigh at some point of the battle. Ze’s impatient, she wants to win before anyone can break her streak.

The only person she wants breaking it is Leon.

Ze wins and wins and Raihan follows suit, wanting to meet her on the pitch again, waiting to feel the same thrill of going against someone overflowing with natural talent that’s been honed so brilliantly in such a short time.

"You’re really something else, Ze. You’ve made it all the way here!” He says as they meet each other on Wyndon’s pitch. “I guess that’s why I’ve taken such an interest in you, yeah?”

Her persona (or is it _her_?) breaks and she opens her mouth just to close it again before breaking eye contact with him. The grass seems to be really interesting to her.

"Leon’s my rival—and you’re getting _awfully_ close to facing him. So I’ve got to first prove I’m better than you if _I’m_ to beat him! I’ve reworked my whole team, and now we’re all geared up for one-on-one battles!"

She nods and he already knows the levels she’s put on her team, the work she’s put in for them and herself. 

“You might be thinking that you beat me once already... But if you think I’m the same Raihan you faced during the Gym Challenge, you’ll soon regret it!

“So show me you’re not the same Ze either,”

He wonders if his words were in vain as he sees her eyes turn glassy, shining with new tears as they turn to start their battle.

Just as he hoped, Ze gives him an amazing battle. It’s exhilarating, he’s only ever felt this way battling _Leon_. Such a high bar to meet, but she’s met it and she’s still going above and beyond. 

Like her other battles, her first pokemon is a perfect match up to his. He's not surprised to see that smirking Cloyster of hers, Lemon Pepper, if he recalls, staring down his Torkoal. Even while carrying Solar Beam, only in Raihan’s wildest dreams could the tortoise outspeed. He accepts his fate as Lemon Pepper washes out Torkoal with a Surf. Next is his Goodra and Ze swaps her pokemon too, bringing out Cinnamon the Alcremie.

“Goodra, Rain Dance!”

“Cinnamon, Calm Mind, now!”

It’s how the match goes, both of them yelling over one another as they order their setups. The rain is harsh and cold, only enhancing the adrenaline pumping through Raihan’s veins. It doesn’t take too long before Ze’s hair is weighed down with water, dropping from her shoulders to her chest, clinging to her face and jersey. There’s a comment from the announcer about it and he catches Ze rolling her eyes between commands. 

It takes one Dazzling Gleam from her buffed Alcremie to take down his Goodra before he can order a Goodra to use Thunder. A Thunder that Cinnamon would’ve tanked just fine, but at this point any damage is good damage. 

And like that the match tips and keeps tipping in Ze’s favor as she anticipates his Turtonator’s Sunny Day to use another Calm Mind. 

Ze orders an Acid Armor for that turn and Raihan realizes the corner he’s backed himself into not getting that pile of whipped cream off the field sooner.

 _Fucking fairy types_ , he thinks as the Alcremie tanks a boosted Fire Blast. He doesn’t bother trying to set up Shell Trap, Ze would be a right idiot to put a physical move on an Alcremie. 

“Recover, Cinnamon!” 

And she’s not an idiot now is she? 

Another Dazzling Gleam and he’s calling back his Turtonator, he smiles down at the ball before switching out to bring in Flygon. Of course Ze doesn’t switch out, breaking a chain like that wouldn’t make any sense. 

He doesn’t order a Sandstorm and the audience seems surprised at the decision. Why give Ze another chance to buff that Alcremie? Not to mention at this point, gradual damage isn’t going to shake up this match. Even if he managed to down her Alcremie, Ze still has 5 other viable pokemon. 

Ze goes for a setup anyway, ordering another Acid Armor after Cinnamon shakes off Flygon’s Earthquake. Even in a match like this, technical and with so little room for anything too interesting, he’s still excited.

One more Earthquake that does nothing and another Recover and Cinnamon is back to her full health. All it takes is one Dazzling Gleam, just like his last two pokemon. He calls Flygon back and sends in Duraludon and she keeps in Cinnamon.

Once more, he hears the announcers questioning Ze, as if they haven’t seen this old song and dance time and time again. He does have to compliment her on the risk she took here, the setup attempt, that _worked_ and now, putting her Fairy type up against his signature Steel/Dragon type.

Maybe this is the statement she’s really trying to make.

They both Gigantamax their pokemon and it’s almost funny, a cake facing down a skyscraper. Cinnamon tanks his Max Steelspike and even with Duraludon’s boosted special defense, Max Starfall is another one hit knock-out against his dragon. 

Like that, the match is over and they’re meeting back in the middle of the pitch and shaking hands. It’s hard to ignore how small her hands are in his. He’s sure his would cover her hand completely if she let him test that little hypothesis.

"My lovely pokemon and I have become much stronger than we were before... But you just blew right past us! Beyond anything I’d imagined!

"I’m still pretty young myself, but it just goes to show that there’s always someone younger coming up, reaching further than you ever dreamed... And you’ve got your whole future ahead of you!

"Keep up the momentum! Prove that Leon’s not unbeatable!"

Ze’s nodding the whole time through his words until he says the part about Leon. Her brown eyes widen, a flash of her teeth as her lips part and her hand tenses in his. He gives her hand a firmer squeeze before dropping hers and putting his back on his hip.

“You really think I can, Raihan?”

“I know so, Ze,”

Before she can say anything else they’re signalled off the pitch and she has to face Leon. She thanks him before she heads back to the tunnel to walk off.

* * *

_What the fuck, Rose?_

* * *

Raihan doesn’t know exactly what this Darkest Day shit is about, but his first concern as a Gym Leader is keeping everyone safe and that means hauling ass back to Hammerlocke to aid in evacuating civilians. 

All in all, they’re lucky. There’s no injuries or casualties reported in Hammerlocke and with every Leader checking in once evacuations are taken care of, it’s quickly confirmed that nowhere else suffered any major injuries or casualties either. He can’t imagine what the Wild Area must look like during this, all the dens overflowing with Dynamax energy.

Despite their luck, he’s quickly busied with subduing Oleana’s pokemon. Suddenly dynamaxed and rampaging, he doesn’t need much urging from her to stop them, taking care of them in the stadium. 

He doesn’t remember why he steps out, maybe it’s because he knows Ze will find her way to the powerplant eventually or he just needs a breather in the midst of all the chaos, but night is cool and eerie. In his whole life he’s never seen the streets of his city as empty as they are right now. The silence is uncomfortable and he’s grateful when he sees two figures rushing up to him to break it.

Ze is out of breath when they reach him, struggling to keep up with Hop and he’s reminded of Leon, always running off every which way. Raihan can tell she’s tired, exhausted from everything happening in the past month to her and he’s wondering when she’s going to hit her wall. Nonetheless, there’s a sharp determined gleam in her eyes, the same look when she’s facing down an opponent. She’s in her element here, really he shouldn’t be worrying about her.

"Well, if it isn’t Ze and Hop! It’s a real shame, the way things have turned out. You make it all the way to the Championship Match, then something like this has to happen!

"And Chairman Rose thinking that the energy pouring from the Darkest Day would somehow be the key to saving Galar’s future? It all seems a bit mad, if you ask me... I can’t follow at all how that’s supposed to work." He’s rambling and he knows it, but he doesn’t know how to stop it. It’s just what he does in these types of situations. However, Hop has no qualms interrupting him, of course.

“Well, I don’t care if I’m up against the Darkest Day or the chairman or whatever! I’m going ahead! I’m off to help my brother!” And with that declaration he’s off, running into the castle, leaving Raihan and Ze alone in the deserted streets of Hammerlocke.

"And he’s gone... That Hop never changes. Always in a rush about something, isn’t he?"

Ze nods. “He sure seems to be, we just recently talked for more than something beyond a battle,”

“Only just started talking to the boy, and already you’re off to save the entire region with him?”

She doesn’t hesitate to tell him yes. He can’t help but calm down, knowing she’ll be with Leon and Hop.

"Go on then, our great challenger! Into Hammerlocke Stadium with you!"

She runs off past him but he turns and reaches out to her. His hand brushes against her hair, just missing her shoulder. She turns back to him and smiles in a way he hasn’t seen her before. Her eyes are closed and he can see her teeth. In the dim street lights he can see four sharp little fangs. Her eyes are bright and she’s still smiling when she says; “Don’t worry, I’ll be safe!”

Then she’s off, running into the castle.

* * *

The Darkest Day is over, finished the night it started, ending with Ze and Leon lying in hospital beds. 

Leon with minor injuries sustained from proximity to the capture failure of the legendary pokemon Eternatus, according to Hop which was later confirmed by Rose himself. When Raihan arrived at the Tower Summit both Leon and Ze were unconscious. Hop told Raihan that once he and Ze had finished battling Eternatus alongside Zacian and Zamazenta that Ze just...collapsed. 

Doctors informed Ze’s mother that she had just passed out from the stress and prior injuries sustained, and that it’s exhaustion that’s keeping her asleep. Then Ze’s mother informed Kabu of her state and when Kabu saw how desperate Raihan was for answers about her, he told him her diagnosis and her room number.

Not too many people questioned Raihan about staying by Ze’s side, and Kabu covered for him with the few that did. He has no clue what Kabu said to make everyone leave him alone, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. 

Despite his decision to stay with her through the night, Ze wakes up alone, late in the afternoon when Raihan goes to get something to eat. One of his trainers has to convince him to leave her room, telling him he needs to take care of himself as well. 

“There’s no point in making the poor girl worry the moment she comes round, Raihan,” Is what Aria tells him. 

When he comes back, her door is open and a doctor is talking to her. He’s careful not to hang around too close, worried to hear something he shouldn’t. It’s not long before the doctor is leaving, nodding to Raihan before heading off to inform a nurse to call her family. To tell others that she’s awake. 

He knows he doesn’t have long before Xiaodan makes her way over from Leon’s room. He smiles at her and she smiles back. 

“Of course, you wake up the _one_ time I leave,” He chuckles at the way her eyes widen, realizing that he stayed with her.

“That’s always how it works, isn’t it?” Her voice is soft, not as rough as he expected from someone that had been asleep for almost a whole day. He sees that there’s now a large mug of water bearing the hospital’s logo on the bed table. She reaches for it and he’s quick to hand it to her.

It’s quiet besides the soft sound of Ze sipping water and the ice clinking against one another in her mug. There’s a million things he wants to say, especially before Xiaodan hears that Ze’s awake, before her family can arrive, but none of it seems right. He finds it odd that Ze hasn’t asked what happened that landed her in the hospital, but she might remember. Or she wants to forget it and ignore it, pretend that she didn’t save the Champion and a region in one night.

Raihan realizes when she puts her water down, wipes her hands off on her hospital blanket and reaches out to hold his hand in her smaller one that all that mattered to her is that he’s here with her.

* * *

In the end, neither Ze nor Leon could stay away from the pitch for too long. Funny enough, when the media asks both trainers about it, the challenger and Champion both called the Championship Match “unfinished business”. They both only waited three days before heading back to Wyndon Stadium for their official match.

Ze asks Raihan to stay with her again. It’s not good how comfortable he is at her side. It’s slowly taking him over, the desire to be right next to her. They don’t talk about the new tension between them or the way their hands always find each other as if they can’t bear to be apart. They just accept it and grow comfortable with it in the short time it exists.

They’re in the locker room when the tension is broken under the weight of Ze asking if she could get a kiss from Raihan. She says it’s for luck and he feels his face flush like a school kid.

She waits for him to nod before putting her hands on his shoulders and pulling him down to her. Her lips are as soft as they look and he’s suddenly conscious of his, wondering if they’re soft as well, trying to remember when he last used the chapstick in his pocket. 

They don’t kiss long enough for it to be as big of a deal as he thought, not to mention how her lip balm rubs off on him. He licks his lips as they pull away, it’s an unconscious action, but Ze still blushes and turns from him. Her hand comes up to her mouth in that familiar gesture of hers. 

She looks at the clock hung above the locker room door and turns back to him excited. She asks for another kiss, saying they still have time before her match. It’s worrying how tight his chest feels when he sees her tongue dart out and run along her lower lip. He can’t say no.

Her good luck kiss turns into good luck kisses once he sits on one of the benches and pulls her into his lap. He goes at her pace, letting her get comfortable with her weight on his leg and his hand on her hip, careful of any bruises she sustained from her fainting those days ago. Ze’s the first one to pull back, giving Raihan a sad smile before she turns back to the clock and slips out of his arms and off his lap. 

She leans back down, kissing the tip of his nose before she heads to the door to walk off to the field.

“I’d say wish me luck, but I guess you already did that?” She smiles at him one last time before she heads out to face Leon. 

* * *

Raihan stays in the locker room. It’s weak of him, but he can’t bear to watch the match. To watch his longest friend and rival face off against...Ze. The cheers of the crowd bleed into the announcers’ voices and become white noise, then for a moment there is nothing. Until there’s a voice, turning nothing into something.

_“The old King has fallen, long live the Queen!”_


End file.
